Cotton-chopper.



No. 806,938. PATENTED DEC. 12, 1905. J. v. SULLIVAN & D. PORTER.

COTTON CHOPPER. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 24. 1905.

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Inventors Attorneys TTNTTED STATES FFiQFt- JOHN V. SULLlV AN AND DAVID A. PORTER, OF SENEY, GEORGIA, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-HALF TO HENRY ARTHER PO'WERS, OF

ARAGON, GEORGIA COTTON-CHOPPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 12,1905.

To all 1117107) it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN V. SULLIVAN and DAVID A. PORTER, citizens of the United States, residing at Seney, in the county of Floyd and State of Georgia, have invented a new and useful Cotton-Chopper, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cotton-choppers; and the objects of the invention are to simplify and improve the construction and operation of this class of devices and to provide a simple and improved means whereby the chopping mechanism may be thrown out of gear and the machine arranged for transportation.

\Vith these and other ends in view, which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novelar-v rangement and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of the I of acotton-chopper constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 2 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation, partly in section. Fig. 1 is a sectional plan detail view showing the machine out of gear. Fig. 5 is a detail side view.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated throughout by similar characters of reference.

The frame of the improved machine, which is rectangular in shape, has been shown as composed of side pieces 1 1 and front and rear end pieces 2 3, the side pieces beingalso connected by 'an intermediate cross-piece 4. The

side pieces intermediate the cross-pieces 3 4; are provided with bearings for a shaft or axle 5, carrying a pair of ground-engaging Wheels 6 and 7, the latter of which carries a bevelpinion 8, meshing with a bevel-pinion 9 upon a longitudinal shatt 10, which is supported for rotation in bearings supported by the cross-pieces 3 and 1-.

The shaft or axle 5 is capable of sliding laterally in its bearings, and one end of said shaft is normally extended slightly beyond the outer side of one of the frame members 1, as best seen at 11 in Fig. l. The shaft is normally retained in this position by means of a spring 12, interposed between the wheel 7 and the adjacent frame member 1, which latter has a recess 13 for the accommodation of said spring. The principal function of the latter is to retain the bevel-pinions 8 and 9 in operative engagement with each other. It will be obvious that when the projecting end of the axle is pushed inwardly the spring will be compressed and the pinions 8 and 9 will be thrown outolf' engagement with each other. When the axle is thus pushed back, will be seen in Fig. 4 of the drawings, it may be retained in this position by means of a plate 1 1, connected by a pivot 15 with the outer side of the frame member 1, through which the end of the axle normally projects. the plate 1 L being provided at its free end with a notch 16, adapted to engage aheaded stud 17, whereby it may be temporarily locked to retain the axle in the position illustrated in Fig. It is obvious that the ground-engag ing wheels, as well as the pinionS, are fixedly secured upon the axle and that the latter is free to rotate in any position occupied thereby. The shaft 10, which extends in rear of the rear crossrbar 3, carries at its rear end a hub 18, having radiating arms 19, provided at their outer ends with sockets for the reception of the tangs 2101 the hoes or chopping-blades 22, which are secured therein, as by means of set-screws 23. The shaft 10 is also provided with a collar 24, secured thereon by means of a set-screw, said collar bearing against the front side of the cross-bar 4, so as to'retain the pinion at the front end of the shaft in operative engagementwith the pinion 8.

The frame of the machine is equipped with a draft-yoke and with handles 26, connected by rungs 27 and supported by braces 28.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that this improved cotton-chopper is of extremely simple construction and that it may be readily manipulated to chop out the superlinens plants from a row of cotton. The

ground-engaging Wheels will straddle the row, and the 'operator may at will raise and lower the rearend of the machine and manipulate the latter to chop out the plants at the desired points. When the machine is to be transported and it is desired to throw the chopping" mechanism out of operation, the

axle 5 may be pushed laterally against the tension of the spring 12 and secured by the plate or latch member 1 2 in the position shown in Fig. 4, when it is obvious that said axle may rotate without imparting motion to the chopper-carrying shaft.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is--- In a cotton-chopper, a frame one side member of which is provided with a recess in the inner side thereof, a lateral]y-slidahle axle extending through and concentr c with said recess, and transporting-wheels upon the axle;

a spring coiled upon the latter, seated in the recess of the frame hearing against the proximate transpo'rting-Wheel said axle projecting normally through the distant side piece of the frame; a latch member pivotally connected with the latter side piece and normally resting upon the protruding end of the axle, and a stud adapted for erlgagement with said latch member when tee projecting portion of the axle is withdrawn against the tension of the spring upon the latter; in combination with a bevel-pinion upon the axle, and a choppencarrying shaft supported for rotation longitiidinally in the frame and having at the front end thereof a bevel-pinion intermeshing with the bevel-pinion npon the axle; I

Witnesses:

CLAUDE H. Pon'rnn, J. F. THOMAS. 

